Umbilical cells help eye’s neurons connect

New York: Cells isolated from human umbilical cord tissue produce molecules that help retinal neurons from the eyes of rats grow, connect and survive, a new study reveals.

The findings implicate one family of molecules, in particular, thrombospondins that may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of degenerative eye diseases.

“By learning more about how these cells work, we are one step closer to understanding the disease states in which these cells should be studied,” said lead researcher Cagla Eroglu from Duke University Medical Centre.

Umbilical cord tissue-derived cells (hUTC) differ from umbilical cord blood cells in that they are isolated from cord tissue itself, rather than the blood.

The Duke team used an established cell culture system to determine whether and how the hUTCs might affect the growth of neurons isolated from the retinas of rat eyes.

In an experimental set-up that allowed the two types of cells to bathe in the same fluid without coming into physical contact, retinal neurons in a bath with hUTCs formed new connections between neurons called synapses, and they sprouted new ‘neurites’ tiny branches that lead to additional connections.

These cells also survived longer than rat neurons placed in a bath lacking the umbilical cord tissue-derived cells.

Blocking thrombospondins were found to reduce new connections among neurons.

“It’s exciting that thrombospondins had a really strong effect on neurite outgrowth,” said Eroglu.

Women who are compassionate are more likely to be favored by men than those who are attractive

Banihal surveyed about 10,000 users of matchmaking site

The proportion of men and women involved in the study conducted by Banihal constituted 60 per cent and 40 per cent respectively

Aug 29, 2017: According to a recent survey, women who are compassionate are more likely to be favored by men than those who are attractive. A neuroscience based support engine for finding partners, Banihal, surveyed about 10,000 users of matchmaking site, mentioned Newsx.

The study indicated that approximately 27 per cent men consider kindness as the most welcoming characteristic in a woman, while only 6 percent attributed knowledge as the most notable feature of women. And 8 percent preferred beauty.

The proportion of men and women involved in the study conducted by Banihal constituted 60 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.

Bengaluru men favor independent and self-supporting girls as opposed to the men in Delhi and Mumbai with the proportion being 17:14:8 per cent sequentially.

The study further shows that 41 per cent Bengaluru women regard a friend as their role model in contrast to 34 per cent women in Delhi and Mumbai.

Ishdeep Sawhney, Co-founder, and CEO at Banihal said: “This study shows the changing mindset and preferences among modern Indians and how they are approaching matchmaking and matrimony with much more clarity of their preferences. At Banihal, we pride ourselves on being able to use such data and insights to simplify the matchmaking process and find the perfect match for a person”.

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